This is my morning prayer
O Lord, now hear my sigh
   My King, my God
   To You I pray
And eagerly draw nigh.

Not so the wicked man
He cannot near You dwell
   The boastful ones
   And those who lie
You will destroy in hell.

Your mercies are so vast
You open wide the gate
   Trembling I come
   Before You bow
My paths, O Lord,
make straight.

But those who walk in sin
Whose hearts and mouths rebel
   With flatt’ring tongues
   They’ll self-destruct
And with You cannot dwell.

Let all who trust, rejoice
E’en shout the joyful sound
   You shelter us
   We love Your Name
With blessings You surround.

© 2014 J Dan Small

Psalm 4

My righteousness comes from You, Lord
Please hear me when I cry
Your many answers I record
In grace, once more, draw nigh.

How long will you, O sons of earth
In dust my glory tread
How long, with lies, decry my worth
Your worthless slander spread?

This is my confidence each day
The Lord calls me His own
He always listens when I pray
He hears my every groan.

When anger threatens to control
He counsels me, “Be still
In righteousness restore your soul
Let trust your spirit fill.”

Where is the good?  Some hope for me?
My day is one long trial
If only I could see Your face
And feel Your gracious smile.

At last my heart with joy now sings
My life with good o’erflows
Only the Lord controls all things
Security He bestows.

O Lord, my enemies increase
So many to me say
“He can’t expect his God to help”
They taunt me night and day.

I know You are my Shield, O Lord
You lift me up with care
You wipe my tears and hear my cry
As I call out in prayer.

And so I lay me down to sleep
The Lord surrounds my bed
I will not fear the masses now
Their threats I will not dread.

Do save me now, O Lord, I pray
Rise up and strike them down
Salvation belongs to You, O Lord
Your blessings are my crown.

PSALM 2

The nations plot their futile schemes
The kings confide in vain
Determined in their silly pride
Emboldened by their fame.

“Who is the LORD that we should bow,
Or His anointed Son?
“We will not have them rule o’er us
Their rule and reign is done.”

Meanwhile, unmoved in Heav’n above
Their Maker hears their plans
He laughs uproariously at the joke
And then He takes the stand.

“On Zion’s hill My King shall come
My plan can’t be deterred
I have determined and decreed
All pow’r on Him’s conferred.”

“You are My well-beloved Son
I have begotten You
Ask for the Kingdom, it is Yours
And all these nations, too!”

“The Day will come when on the earth
Their reign of terror You’ll break
With rod of iron You’ll rule them all
Oe’r earth possession take.”

Take notice, then, you haughty kings
And judges of the earth
Worship the LORD in holy fear
And celebrate His worth.

Yes, humbly kiss the Son today
Don’t risk His holy wrath
He blesses all who trust in Him
Who walk His narrow path.

I’ve begun to “rewrite” the Psalms and will share them with you.

Psalm 1

Abundant blessings fill the lives
Of those who walk with God
Who listen not to godless talk
Nor linger where they trod

They treasure hearing what God says
Not mocking, godless speech
Both day and night to Him they turn
To learn what He would teach

There is a river flowing from
The living God above
And planted close so fruits abound
Are those who know His love

Like trees they prosper, standing tall
Unmoved by storms or drought
Not so the wicked who like chaff
By winds are tossed about

It won’t go well for folks like that
When the Great Judge they meet
They’ll have no place among the saints
Who at His table eat

The blessing on the saints is this
Each one the Lord does cherish
But, oh, the peril of the lost
Whose every hope will perish